Beneath The Storm (Completed)

Chapter-16: Silent Observations

Inaara held the small brass diya, her fingers steady as she lit it and placed it carefully before Kanha ji.

The warm glow of the flame softened the room, casting a gentle halo over the idol's serene face.

She clasped her hands, closed her eyes, and murmured her morning prayer.

It was a routine, yes, but in moments like this, she found solace. Every morning, she brought her hopes, her whispered fears, and her wishes to him, as though Kanha ji were her silent confidant.

Afterward, she joined Atharv at the dining table. They sat across from each other, their breakfasts neatly arranged.

Silence stretched between them, almost a companion of its own at this point.

Atharv ate with the quiet efficiency he did everything with, his focus already elsewhere, no doubt on the day that awaited him.

Inaara found herself watching him briefly, noticing the subtle way he held his fork, the slight crease between his brows that never seemed to ease.

Once he finished, he rose, folding his napkin with precision before setting it down. He turned to leave, his footsteps firm and unhurried.

Inaara spoke up softly, almost as a reflex.

"Have a good day," she offered, her voice carrying a quiet warmth.

He paused, glanced back at her, and nodded in acknowledgment.

There was no smile, no extra word exchanged-just that brief nod, acknowledging her presence before he stepped out the door.

Two months.
That's how long it had been. Life, for Inaara, had taken on a strange rhythm in these months.

Each day felt familiar yet distant, like she was watching herself from a distance.

She and Atharv still moved through life as though they were strangers, orbiting each other but never quite intersecting.

His behavior was... different, perhaps softened, as he no longer spoke to her with the sharp edges of disdain she had once known.

He wasn't rude anymore, but kindness was a territory unexplored between them. And for now, Inaara was content with that subtle shift.

She didn't need words of affection or gestures of warmth-just this quiet truce was enough.

To her quiet relief, their days were marked by simplicity.

There were no parties, no grand gatherings or obligations that reminded her of the cold, gilded life she had once feared.

It was just them, in their quiet world, where words were scarce, but routine offered its own form of stability.

Her friendship with Avni had blossomed in the meantime, bringing a warmth to her days that she hadn't realized she was craving.

As the morning light shifted, casting new patterns across the room, Inaara gathered the breakfast dishes.

The night was quiet, wrapped in a stillness that settled around the grand house like a soft, invisible veil.